this is just the beginning.

Here I sit,

In an alternate universe.

Yes that's what UVic is. As Jessica said at Caps moments ago, "This campus is unlike anywhere else, including any other campus. Look, there are two bunnies chasing each other over there."

This is what I see when I remove myself from the perplexing absurdities of this campus:

Imagine a world where there are as many bunnies as there are people. Yes bunnies, sure we're all used to it; but let's be serious, that's fucking strange. There are these adorable little creatures all so inbred that some are missing eyes, have the strangest colourings and we even saw an albino one last weekend. They hop around or race around after one another, I even stepped OVER one sprawled out (hindlegs behind him), gnawing on some grass outside Clearihue. Yep, that's some weird shit. I do love it when little kids come here on field trips to look at all the cute lil' bunnies all over the place, they laugh because they know how trippy that is.

Anyway, it's not just the different species of animal that resides here, it's the different breed of homo sapien. There is something about the vibe here that is sensical and non-sensical at the same time ALL the time.

What I mean is, that while most of us are here to get an education, or work (something that makes sense) the means by which people express themselves is most unordinary. You will find this one girl in Clearihue singing to herself in combat boots and a discman in her hand, and that's ok. You will see a man draped in green patchwork flinging joints at kids at 4:20 on Wednesdays, perfectly acceptable. You may spot a prof smoking up in the Mystic Veil on a jog, and hell, he probably teaches one wicked lecture. But it's not just the excess paraphenelia, or the fact that the window below mine is used as a 24 hr Narcotics Drive-Thru, there is something laid-back, spiritual and widely accepting about UVic too.

Maybe I just love university; but hell, who would not love to see people walking around in sandals in January or the unique style of the rolled up right pant leg because EVERYONE rides their bikes around here, and a lot of people forgot to untuck or unroll.

It's a beautiful thing to see people slacklining while walking between classes or hear a didg. or the many kids chillin' with acoustic guitars. Oh, and don't forget the jugglers, they put on quite a show too.

It's about having a good time. Always.

It's about long boards and long hair. Ska, indie, punk and human rights. It's about demonstrating and taking a stand. It's about the bibliocaf and shaking hands.

It's about dancing in the empty fountain and being human.

It's about not saying I'm sorry but rather opening your arms.

It's about learning what a pod is and then learning to accept that those once complete strangers would turn into some of your best friends.

Dancing in the streets chanting "we are your friends, and you'll never be alone again!!!"

Ukeles and Bob Dylan. ECS and a tall statue man who you only notice at night.

JC and Wilson. Oh, Wilson.

Coincidences, so many coincidences and weekend breakfasts.

It's about being super active and yoga yoga yoga.

It's about the rock and roll, a red octopus and VGs smoothies.

Dreadlocks, leather jackets and umbrellas.

It's about living, experiencing and being alive.

snapshots.

these are some snapshots from my weekend (thurs-sun):

bruce springsteen from audrey's grandparents;
conversations with friends on a bus too crowded to see their faces;
chris and i not following through with plans;
meeting lauren;
emmy making everyone laugh;
left-over lasagna in my fridge;
audrey and emmy knocking on my door at 2:30am, "i went like this" (shimmy) "and he let me on the bar!" ;
playing blowin' in the wind;
emmy doing my hair, audrey my make up;
chris, travis, alex noticing;
the lady with a kid not caring that chris was peeing by the wal-mart;
phoning travis and convincing him to give the phone to alex, because we were lost;
vodka and cranberry;
electric feel;
an ultra-friendly welcoming from my dear friend travis;
waterfall;
lindsay, she doesn't like sex;
shot with alex;
half-frozen ice cubes;
julie bertrand's student card, and then introductions;
Mr. W;
trying to hold that cup in my hand;
popcorn and vomit (neither of which were mine);
hey hey my my;
bunk beds, diagonal "sleeping";
tossing turning tossing turning;
4:20 am, 5:30 am; 7:50 am;
loading a dishwasher, cold arms in the kitchen, duvet;
saying goodbye to alex and out the door;
hummer, fog, bus stop, top deck, swinging legs;
arriving on campus at 9:57 (3 minutes before breakfast opens);
same breakfast, same sides of the booth, aren't we adorable? ;
chris thinking someone moved his stuff in my room;
11:18 am;
text messages;
sleep;
knocking on my door at 1:15ish, me swinging it open to see company (and attractive strangers i wasn't dressed for);
here's a student card, goodbye, but not goodnight anymore;
audrey's room;
bibliocafe with jess, jo, audrey, cl;
recognizing someone i would be introduced to later on that night;
special made iced coffee by the same girl who talked to me on the bus;
getting ready-esque and a shot of whisky with anna;
fairway market bathroom, cell phone at mac;
meeting zack and justin;
going over to the liquor store with zack, justin, shannon, anna;
seeing david becker in boston pizza;
drinking "white" and "red" in the school field by the tall tree;
orion's belt, a man across the field, fluffy hair, dancing;
walking back, hello james;
$5 for the show, screw cap wine being unscrewed;
marxism, ban capitalism, anarchy in victoria;
2 bands and back to fairway, tegan and sara on the PA;
drunk;
dancing, moshing, laughing;
jetting back to the liquor store;
ally ways;
the wonderfull tree, anna on the ground, boston pizza;
talking to jake, obama tuesday! ;
buttercup, the car;
meeting more people, giselle was it? ;
back inside and more dancing x 2;
a girl saying "hey kayla!" i recognize her blonde hair but not her name;
no more wine left;
justin's brother;
my inadequate RLC education;
anna's escapade;
bus stop benches and meeting more new friends, nikki was it? ;
everyone is from kamloops or knows someone we know from kamloops;
dreadlocks from history class;
fun bus rides and promises to run into each other on friday;
more laughing, and off the bus we go;
stumbling, pictures, bunnies appearing;
up to anna's building, it was hot in there;
back to jc and audrey's room to see her, jo and andrew;
we laugh and i'm way "happier" then they are;
i call aaron he comes over too;
asleep (finally) on audrey's bed and she helps me back to my room;
then i go on fb, lamesauce;
asleep until 11:45;
breakfast with nice people (i had bacon too);
coffee before the mountain;
sunshine, shadows, blue skies, sequoias, bunnies, snapshots;
hiking, the shire;
breathtaking, ocean, trees, islands, mt. baker, beauty, clean air;
untangling a kite;
learning about archealogy, sort of;
a japanese family;
kids smoking weed;
couples holding hands, beards and photos;
back down the mountain;
two open house signs;
potato salad;
my guitar and 4 hours of classic rock songs;
feeling like i'm intruding, probably just really tired;
clean room, clear plans, excited for a clean/clear slate to start tomorrow;
shower, water, computer, blog;
here, now;
goodnight.

Sam. Sam. Sam he is.

"Magical!"

"Sexual!"

"Enchanting!"

"Transcendent!"

"Sonic fellatio!"

"Surreal!"

"Fucking brilliant!"


Going around MC Cormack's room, these are the words of 7/10 Sam Robert's fans recently returning from his concert at the McPhearson Theatre in Victoria.

"It's mind-boggling," says nearly 19-year-old Audrey Wong.

The Stills, also reigning from Montreal, brought real rock with an indie twist to the stage opening for the Sam Roberts Band. They are fresh, genuine, wholesome Canadian rockers. I was definitely impressed. It was a natural transition when Sam Roberts hit the stage.

Wow! The energy! The charmingly classy theatre seemed a little too dressed up for us at first, but the rest of the world quickly drifted away as all of our senses were overloaded with The Sam Roberts Band.

Them Kids, Uprising Down Under, Minds of the Kalahari, Up Sister, Where Have All the Good People Gone?, Love at the End of the World, The Gate, Brother Down, Don't Walk Away Eileen, Fixed to Ruin, Stripmall Religion, No Sleep, This Wreck of a Life and Hard Road...were some of the songs. See why it was amazing?

It also helps that I was in the company of Audrey, Johanna (Yohann), Andrew, Zoe, Natalia, Pierre, Caroline, Chris and Kiesha!

We danced SO hard. Screamed SO loud. Audrey and Zoe even flung their bras at the stage (read below). We put our arms around each other and swung back and forth across Row F. Yep, it was pretty magical.

The encore was epic too. Closing with the "Mind Flood" jam sesh changed my life.

Afterward, we headed outback to the tour bus. The pre-pubescent groupies beat us to the door but they were quickly swept away. We were at the back of the line and the whole thing made me feel nostalgic my fav movie "Almost Famous." You know, overly eager fans waiting at the top of the ramp for "their" rockstar to emerge. Cigarettes, attempts to suppress over-eagerness, friendship and rock and roll.

Then we got up there. It was a blur of firm handshakes, sincere eye contact and the best hugs of our lives (as we all unanimously agreed), some signatures, a few pics and a flood of compliments.

"He was kind of curious too, like he actually wanted to meet us too," said MC Cormack. He even remembered her name.

Then we talked about the weather. How cool and Canadian eh? Zoe and Pierre parlent en francais avec him. The rest of us stuck with English.

When Zoe was standing for the picture she asked him, "Oh btw, have you seen my bra?"

He asked if it was that pretty pink one and I piped in that that one was in fact, Audrey's.

She was pretty stoked on life to say the very least.

Yes my amazing friends actually did that!

Caroline and Pierre almost passed out with joy and anticipation (but all their undergarmets stayed on.)

It was cool, his arm around me for so long between my photo with him and the assembling and taking of our group photo! Hah! Ok, so I act like I'm a fourteen, big deal!

When we left it started with the ten of us walking to the corner, then speedwalking to the corner of the building, then running and jumping and as soon as we were out of sight (but definitely still in earshot) we screamed and jumped and screamed and hugged and screamed and people made tearful phone calls to loved ones. Dramatic? Nah. It was an amazing night for all of us. We were certainly, most definitely, feeding off of each other's elated, stokedness. (That's a real word, I love English.)

After the rest of the gang rejoined Audrey and I inside after a little sesh outside Wilson, Pierre describes the show as "stylus and ruptus." Natalia thinks that is was "dashing." Yohann sums up the night as "rad." Remember they were just outside.

While Andrew's take on it is, "Pierre once told me that we're all ants in a clouds world and tonight I became a cloud. I started as an ant and for a moment I was a cloud. It's better to live one day as a cloud than a lifetime as an ant."

Anyway, to say the least, tonight was pretty fantastic. I could try to transcribe our after-concert Sam Roberts infatuated gushing sesh...but I won't.


As Sam told us to remember, "Stay true to your friends because they'll save you in the end."

:D

(un)fortunate event!

Life is amusing. It truly is. If you think yours isn't then take a closer look; or perhaps, maybe you are already looking too close.

Anyway, so tonight I went to Bikram with my "Lily Pod" friend from journalism, Emelia, for the first time. She drove us.

It was a great class! We had a cute, surfer-esque instructor who pushed me harder than ever and I was able to do positions I hadn't previously been able to do and reach further into others I already enjoy. Needless to say, I was on top of the world when I left the 102 degree room! Endorphins pumping and a high from passing into deeper meditation, I was glowing, sweaty and god-darn peachy.

Then life jumped on in with a lovely little test for Emelia and I. A challenge as I'd like to see it. We notice that the underground parkade gate is closed so we must take the elevator downstairs to get to the car. Ok, fine.

We head down, hop in the car, Emelia puts on one of her favourite songs and throws the car in reverse. Except, something is wrong. Having much experience with flat tires and broken down vehicles thanks to my family and childhood, I immediately identify it as a flat and jump out to check. AFFIRMITIVE. (as brett and jermaine would say.)

Not just out of air, but so damn flat that the hub cap has popped off and we aren't going anywhere until a new one is on.

Thankfully, she has a spare and wrenches in her trunk, but no jack mind you. Yes, another sweet challenge. How the hell are two teenage girls going to get this flat off and this new tire on. First thing that goes through my mind, thanks to plethora of horror moves that have 2 teenage girls essentially locked in a deserted underground parkade with no functioning vehicle, you know where my mind went. I get a grip and recognize my irrationality and dart upstairs, bursting into the yoga studio asking, "does anyone have a jack!?!?! My friend and I are in a bit of an unfortunate situation!"

This is when I first meet Tom.

Tom is a middle aged fella who happens to have a jack in his car. I mentioned that neither of us know how to change a tire to the whole yoga class who were probably like, 'oh, teenage girls,' but he didn't offer to change it for us. So instead, with the jack in hand, I bolt back downstairs, (to my relief Emelia had not been cut up in pieces by some serial killer) and try to figure out how to use the damn thing. I pull the tire out of the trunk and all that jazz but when it came to the jack, neither of us knew what we were doing.

So back upstairs.

Emelia, was walking proof of our struggle with a streak of grease on her face, I noticed, but didn't say anything. Perhaps I'm a bad friend, but it did help our plight like I assumed it would! Tom thought it was quite adorable! HAH!

Tom comes downstairs and helps us change it (kind of reluctantly, but obliging nonetheless) and he teaches us how to do it/did it for us.

THANK YOU TOM. (We are getting him a GC to this vegetarian restaurant that he says he likes.)

I knew to ask for help because my dad was always that guy to stop on the side of the road to help people with their car problems, no matter how late we were. We also stopped because he knew someday we would need help too (and trust me, those days came.) I felt like I was cashing one in that my day had stocked up for me.

So, TAKE THAT LIFE, you tried to throw a curve ball at us and we successfully landed on our feet. Within half an hour the car was rolling and Tom and his wife (who I also thank for her patience) were also on their way home.

I found it quite amusing how I walked out of there feeling like I was on top of the world and then life was like, 'hey you, humble down a bit, try this one on for a challenge' and the both of us did. At first Emelia saw it to be way worse than it was but it turned out to be not that bad. I mean, it could of been worse; after all, we ended up learning something from all this and we can now officially change a tire, I think.

Namaste!

New Years (Re)Solutions

I've just returned back to res and one thing I am most excited to leave behind in Kamloops is the TV. Not just the TV itself, which is sometimes great to lose yourself in 10 episodes of That 70's Show re-runs, but ever since December 31st rolled around, commercials were driving me insane. My family are big fans of the tube so it's always on and although the shows aren't terrible the advertisements are an entirely different story. You could not endure one commercial break without some hypnotist pledging to make you quit smoking, quit drinking and quit being fat. And, if you aren't quite prepared to have your mind manipulated by a man in a top hat, then you could find your resolution solution in a bottle of $100.00 pills that are guaranteed to make you lose weight fast or the various line products to help you kick the nic addic. Sure, I realize it's the prime time of the year for those in the self-"improvement" or self-"enhancing" industry to cash in big time, but let's be realistic here.

Of course, I too have some resolutions of my own but I'm going to exercise a free technique that doesn't come in a bottle that we, as humans, are given: will power. Yes, will power, the power to will oneself to stick with and accomplish a well-thought out goal. Or, as Oxford states, "a persons power to decide on something and take action." That's my strategy.

I don't mean to be bitter, in fact my approach to 2009 is quite the opposite. I feel optimistic and invigorated to implement my own list of mind, body, education and career goals just like the next. I also believe that you don't need one particular time of year to implement these goals; however, the turn of the new year is just so darn handy, the slate is wiped clean (per se) and it's a time for new beginnings.

Three cheers for will power, and if you get suckered into the blaring advertisements and buy into the plethora of products and they actually work for you (not just as a placebos) then all the fucking power to yeah!

Happy Oh-Nine!

:D